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iOS 27 beta lets users customise Siri’s voice with new AI controls
The latest developer beta lets testers adjust Siri's speaking speed and emotional expression, making interactions feel more natural and conversational.
The latest iOS beta makes Siri sound more natural with enhanced voice personalisation features.(Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
Apple has expanded Siri’s personalisation options in the latest iOS 27 developer beta, allowing users to customise how the AI assistant sounds by adjusting its speaking speed and emotional expression. The new controls, introduced in iOS 27 beta 3, are now available to testers after previously being marked as “coming soon” in earlier beta releases.
The update is part of Apple‘s broader effort to make Siri more conversational and natural as it transitions to a generative AI-powered assistant.
Siri can now sound faster, slower, or more expressive
With the latest beta, users can fine-tune Siri’s voice using two new controls: Pace and Expressivity.
The Pace slider allows Siri to speak more slowly or quickly depending on personal preference, while Expressivity changes how much emotion and natural variation is added to the assistant’s voice.
Users can also continue choosing from different Siri voices and accents before adjusting these settings.
As changes are made, Siri automatically reads sample phrases, such as “You have one new message,” allowing users to hear the differences in real time before saving their preferences.
Part of Apple’s new AI-powered Siri
Apple first introduced the redesigned Siri during the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, where it showcased a much more capable AI assistant built around generative AI technologies.
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The upgraded Siri can now be accessed in several ways across iOS 27, including:
- Speaking directly to Siri
- Pressing the side button
- Typing requests by swiping down from the Dynamic Island
- Using Apple’s new standalone Siri app
The company says these changes are designed to make interactions feel more natural and flexible.
Apple still trails ChatGPT in voice customisation
While Apple’s new voice controls represent a significant improvement over previous Siri versions, they remain more limited than competing AI assistants.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT already allows users to customise not only speaking speed and emotional warmth but also conversational personality. Users can choose different interaction styles such as friendly, professional, candid or quirky, which influence both the AI’s speaking style and how it presents information.
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Apple’s current implementation focuses primarily on voice delivery rather than conversational personality.
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